Metro Detroit a key battleground in Checkers/Rally's 'war of the wieners' against Burger King

Tampa-based Checkers Drive-in Restaurants Inc., which
operates the drive-thru restaurants across the U.S., launched the
competition this week in response to Burger King's new $1.99
hotdog offering.

Metro Detroit has become a key battleground in the Checkers and Rally’s war of the wieners against Burger King.

Tampa-based Checkers Drive-in Restaurants Inc., which operates the double drive-thru restaurants across the U.S., launched the wiener war Wednesday, with a full-page ad in USA Today, in response to Burger King’s new $1.99 hotdog offering.

Created by Atlanta-based Fitzgerald & Co., the ad reminds consumers that Checkers and Rally’s have been serving hotdogs for the past 30 years and is offering them, now, for 79 cents each or “less than half the price” of Burger King’s dog.

Fitzgerald & Co.

Checkers and Rally's are challenging Burger King's new hotdog promotion.

“Overcompensating anyone?” Checkers and Rally’s ask in the ad.

As the chain’s fourth largest market after New York City, Atlanta and Tampa, Detroit has become a key battleground for the two in the #wienersmackdown, a Checkers and Rally’s spokeswoman said.

The chain has more than 40 locations in the region and eight more planned for the coming year.

Checkers and Rally’s will be closely monitoring the success of its wiener war campaign in metro Detroit and the other three markets, said Terri Snyder, chief marketing officer and senior vice president in an emailed statement.

While it's too soon to tell how the campaign will affect sales overall, Checkers and Rally's locations in Detroit are selling twice as many hot dogs, she said.